SVENSK STANDARD
SS-EN ISO 17604:2015
Fastställd/Approved: 2015-09-13
Publicerad/Published: 2015-09-28
Utgåva/Edition: 1
Språk/Language: engelska/English
ICS: 07.100.30
Microbiology of the food chain – Carcass sampling for
microbiological analysis (ISO 17604:2015)
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standard via https://www.sis.se/std-8015882
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Europastandarden EN ISO 17604:2015 gäller som svensk standard. Detta dokument innehåller den officiella
engelska versionen av EN ISO 17604:2015.
The European Standard EN ISO 17604:2015 has the status of a Swedish Standard. This document contains
the official English version of EN ISO 17604:2015.
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EN ISO 17604
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
September 2015
ICS 07.100.30
English Version
Microbiology of the food chain - Carcass sampling for
microbiological analysis (ISO 17604:2015)
Microbiologie de la chaîne alimentaire - Prélèvement
d'échantillons sur des carcasses en vue de leur analyse
microbiologique (ISO 17604:2015)
Mikrobiologie der Lebensmittelkette - Probenahme
von Schlachttierkörpern zur mikrobiologischen
Untersuchung (ISO 17604:2015)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 10 July 2015.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2015 CEN
All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Ref. No. EN ISO 17604:2015 E
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SS-EN ISO 17604:2015 (E)

Contents
Page
European . foreword....................................................................................................................................................... iv
Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Scope.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Normative references....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Terms and definitions...................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
General principles................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Sampling plans........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Sampling points on the production line........................................................................................................................................ 3
Sampling sites on carcasses....................................................................................................................................................................... 3
7.1
Large mammals....................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
7.2
Poultry, small mammals, and other small animals................................................................................................... 4
7.3
Game................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Sampling techniques......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
General............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
8.1
Excision methods................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
8.2
8.2.1
Cork borer method.......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Template excision method........................................................................................................................................ 5
8.2.2
8.2.3
Skin sampling...................................................................................................................................................................... 5
8.3
Swabbing methods............................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Wet and dry stick swab method.......................................................................................................................... 6
8.3.1
8.3.2
Sponge, tampon swab, and small cloth method..................................................................................... 6
Carcass rinsing method.................................................................................................................................................................... 7
8.4
8.4.1
Reagent...................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
8.4.2
Equipment.............................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Collection of samples.................................................................................................................................................... 7
8.4.3
Storage and transport of samples........................................................................................................................................................ 8
Microbiological examination of samples..................................................................................................................................... 8
10.1 General............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
10.2 Initial preparation of samples..................................................................................................................................................... 8
10.2.1 Swabbing methods.......................................................................................................................................................... 8
10.2.2 Excised samples................................................................................................................................................................. 8
10.2.3 Carcass rinse samples.................................................................................................................................................. 8
10.3 Enumeration and detection of microorganisms......................................................................................................... 8
Annex A (informative) Sampling sites.................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Bibliography.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
iii

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SS-EN ISO 17604:2015 (E)
European foreword
This document (EN ISO 17604:2015) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 34 "Food
products" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 275 “Food analysis - Horizontal methods”
the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by March 2016, and conflicting national standards shall
be withdrawn at the latest by March 2016.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 17604:2015 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 17604:2015 without any modification.
iv
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SS-EN ISO 17604:2015 (E)

Introduction
It is generally agreed that the determination of microbial counts and the prevalence and/or numbers
of pathogenic microorganisms on carcasses is essential for validation and verification in risk-based
slaughter hygiene assurance systems [e.g. those employing the hazard analysis critical control points
(HACCP) principles and quality assurance systems].
Moreover, many laboratories are involved in (regional, national, and international) monitoring or
surveillance programmes on the prevalence and/or counts of pathogenic microorganisms to gather
information for risk assessment. The design of such monitoring and surveillance programmes will
benefit from the use of standardized and internationally accepted sampling procedures.
A harmonized sampling method, as described in this International Standard, can also be of interest for
trade in meat and meat products.
v

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SS-EN ISO 17604:2015 (E)
Microbiology of the food chain — Carcass sampling for
microbiological analysis
1 Scope
This International Standard specifies sampling methods for the detection and enumeration of
microorganisms on the surface of carcasses or parts of carcasses of slaughtered meat animals. The
microbiological sampling can be carried out as part of
— process hygiene control (to validate and or verify process control, e.g. total counts and
Enterobacteriaceae) in slaughter establishments for large mammals, poultry, and game,
— risk-based assurance systems for product safety, and
— monitoring or surveillance programmes for the prevalence and/or numbers of pathogenic
microorganisms.
This International Standard includes the use of excision and swabbing techniques depending on the reason
for sample collection. It also includes the use of carcass rinsing for the examination of carcasses of poultry
and some small animals. Annex A shows sampling sites on the carcasses of various animal species.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 6887‑1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Preparation of test samples, initial suspension
and decimal dilutions for microbiological examination — Part 1: General rules for the preparation of the
initial suspension and decimal dilutions
ISO 6887‑2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Preparation of test samples, initial suspension
and decimal dilutions for microbiological examination — Part 2: Specific rules for the preparation of meat
and meat products
ISO 7218, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — General requirements and guidance for
microbiological examinations
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
carcass
body of an animal after slaughter and dressing
3.2
excision technique
removal of measured areas of the surface tissue or skin by cutting
3.3
game
wild mammal or bird that is hunted for human consumption and farmed mammal or bird, including
ratite (e.g. ostrich, emu), other than domestic ungulates and birds

1
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SS-EN ISO 17604:2015 (E)

3.4
large mammal
cattle (including buffaloes, bison), sheep, pigs (including wild boar), various types of deer (including
reindeer, antelopes), horses (including donkeys and mules)
3.5
poultry
small-sized or medium-sized bird
EXAMPLE
chicken, duck, goose, turkey, pigeon, pheasant, quail, grouse.
3.6
sampling plan
description of the examination of a required number of sample units by a defined analytical method,
including the criteria for acceptance
3.7
sampling point
stage on the production line where a sample is taken
3.8
sampling site
place on the carcass where a sample is taken
3.9
small mammal and other small animal
lagomorph (e.g. hare, rabbit), rodent, turtle, frog
3.10
swabbing method
technique using absorbent material attached to the end of a stick or wire, or a sponge or piece of
absorbent material, to pick up microorganisms from surfaces
4 General principles
The choice of sampling method depends mainly on the aim of the microbiological examination, the
sensitivity required, and practical considerations. Excision, swabbing, and rinsing methods may be
used, as permitted by this International Standard.
The excision of surface tissue generally harvests a higher number of microorganisms from the surface
than other methods. Not all the microorganisms harvested will grow on the media and under the
incubation conditions used. The repeatability and reproducibility of excision and rinsing methods are
less variable than swabbing, because swabbing methods are more difficult to standardize.
However, only a small proportion of the carcass is sampled by excision methods, which might result in
significant inaccuracies when total contamination is low and heterogeneously distributed, or when the
presence of the target microorganisms is sparse. Excision methods are destructive, and can sometimes
affect the value of the meat, but are preferred when sampling frozen surfaces.
Swabbing or rinsing techniques enable the examination of larger areas. Smaller areas targeting verified
areas of greatest contamination may be examined using either excision or swabbing methods. Rinsing
the whole carcass is an effective and practicable method for the examination of poultry (excluding large
bird carcasses) and carcasses of some small mammals and other small animals.
5 Sampling plans
Sampling plans should relate to the purpose of testing and be applied according to the circumstances.
They are not considered in detail.
2

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SS-EN ISO 17604:2015 (E)

The process stage, the time since start-up of the slaughtering process, the frequency of sampling, and, if
relevant, the following, should be taken into account:
— the slaughterhouse practices for each animal;
— the design of risk-based process control assurance or harmonized monitoring programmes;
— the production volume;
— previous results of monitoring (trend analysis);
— the prevalence of relevant pathogenic microorganisms in the region from which the animal originates;
— relevant national, regional and/or international regulations.
In the case of process control, the time and frequency of sampling should relate to the level of
slaughter hygiene.
In the case of monitoring and surveillance for pathogens, the sampling time, sites on the carcass, and
frequency should maximize the chance of detecting and/or counting the pathogens sought.
6 Sampling points on the production line
Sampling points should be selected according to risk-based principles, and relate, when relevant, to the
higher probability of detecting contamination during the process or at points in the slaughter process,
as appropriate to measure the hygiene of specific production steps or the entire slaughter process.
Examples of sampling points are the following:
— after the carcass polishing machine (pigs);
— after the carcass washing machine (pigs and poultry);
— after flaying (dehiding) (large mammals, game slaughtered in an abattoir, and others);
— after evisceration (all animals);
— immediately before chilling or freezing (all animals);
— immediately after chilling (poultry, small mammals, and other small animals);
— after chilling or freezing (all animals);
— in the chill room (all animals).
During the chilling period, depending on the chill room conditions, microorganisms might become
sublethally damaged or die, might be overgrown by psychrotrophic microorganisms, or they might
become more firmly attached to the meat, resulting in underestimation. This effect will be reduced if
the sampling is carried out as soon as possible after slaughter.
7 Sampling sites on carcasses
7.1 Large mammals
The sampling sites chosen depend on the slaughterhouse practices, which can vary for different
slaughterhouses and for different animals. The purpose is to examine the sites with the highest
prevalence and/or level of contamination (see Table A.1). Figure A.1, Figure A.2, and Figure A.3 illustrate
the sites most often identified as more highly contaminated. Other sampling sites may be specified in
regulations, in guides of good practices, or in other technical guides for the sector. Consistency in the
sampling sites over time is important to detect changes in the pattern of observations over a period
of time (trend analysis). It is usually preferable to sample more carcasses at the sites most likely to

3